Pillbugs and Sowbugs and Moist Environment Experiment

Pill bugs, Armadillidium vulgare, are terrestrial isopods [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Thus, they are not very well adapted to land [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Water loss is a reoccurring theme because terrestrial isopods lack “cuticular lipids and the elaborate spiracular apparatus of insects” [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Most of the water loss is evaporation from the respiratory organs [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. The respiratory organs are called pleopods, and are gill-like organs “located on the ventral abdominal segments” [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Interestingly, pill bugs are capable of conglobation, the ability to roll up in a ball [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. In addition to protection from predation, conglobation may also conserve water [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008].

The purpose of our experiment is to test animal behavior and reactions to a change in environment. Our guiding question is, “Why do living organisms respond to environmental factors?” This is basically a question that is asking why living things will react a certain way to environmental changes. The task to answer this question is to experiment with changing environmental factors with pill bugs.

Pill bugs live in an outside environment where they are able to get the necessary amount of energy from organic matter. This environment is where water and organic matter is plentiful. In there natural habitat, pill bugs are found in dark, damp places. Living in moist places is important for pill bugs so they can take in enough water, and if water is not available, they group together to prevent water loss. Pill bugs most often live in dark places because they have a negative photo taxis. Darker places also tend to be cooler and damper. Each experiment connected to how the pill bugs would behave in a certain environment. We were able to test these experiments in a laboratory way to see if the natural environments were also true.

We observed Sowbugs in multiple environments to determine which environment they preferred. After the observation, we shared, and recorded our results. The sowbugs spent 77% of their time on the cool, damp soil, as opposed to 23% of their time on the hot, dry sand. We asked ourselves: why is it that sowbugs preferred the cool, damp soil? It was hypothesized that the sowbugs preferred the cool, damp soil to the hot, dry sand, because moisture was the causative agent. If the hypothesis is correct, then the sowbugs will spend more time in damp soil.

The hypothesis that was tested was pill bugs are use to the cooler temperature of the room and natural soil would travel a greater distance once they were in a hotter environment. The hypothesis is rejected on the basis that the p-value of .760 is greater than .05. Furthermore, figure 3 supports this rejection, since the averages are very close to each other and their error bars completely overlap. This rejection means that once the pill bugs where in the hotter environment there was not difference in their behavior compared to the cooler room temperature environment; they did not travel longer distances. However looking at bugs D, F G and H in figure 2, there is a difference in distance traveled that appears to be greater than

Based on the data, the number of pill bugs on the dark side is higher at almost every minute compared the number of bugs on the light side. In the beginning, the pill bugs are evenly spread out on both sides. However, as time goes on, the number of pill bugs on the dark side increased rapidly, while the number on the light side decreases. Based on the graph, starting at about three minutes, the number of bugs on the dark side begins to increase significantly. The pill bugs quickly react and choose a best fit environment for themselves. Eventually, at nine minutes there are nine pill bugs on the dark side and only one on the light side. At the end of ten minutes, all ten of the bugs are on the dark side. If the experiment went on for a longer

1The isopods will gather in the wetter environment instead of the dry environment. 2The isopods will have an affinity to a more basic region than an acidic region. 3The isopods will tend to gather in the environment with a greater amount of light, than an environment with no light. 4The isopods will take a liking to a warmer temperature environment than a cooler temperature environment.By looking at the data you can see that there is a preference among isopods to favor an environment that is cold, wet, basic, and dark. We included the observed data as well as the expected data. Our expected data show what the information would look like if it came from a null universe. To come from a null universe means that the data will have no difference,

The structural features of the pill bug allows it to have advantages over other organisms. The pillbugs multi-segmented body allows it to roll into a ball if it feels threatened or in danger in order to protect its self. Another advantage of have a multi-segmented body is it allows the pillbug to semi curl to flip its self back over if it is knocked down. The antennae is used to sense the environment around it, even if it is in ball shape form. The advantages of this is the pillbug will know whether or not it is safe to come out of its ball shape form, if it had been threatened earlier. The antennae also allows the pillbugs to send signals to one another, it is a source of communication between them. The color of the pill

This experiment was performed to observe the taxis and kinesis of certain organisms. This is important because the organism’s survival and ability to reproduce depends on how they orient to stimuli using senses. We investigated the behavior of pill bugs to determine if they’ll move towards or away from the vinegar through smell. If I place pill bugs in a behavior tray with different chambers, then they’ll move away from the chambers that contains vinegar. A behavior tray with 5 chambers is used and 2 were control while the other 2 has cotton balls with a few drops of vinegar on it. 5 pill bugs are positioned in the center of the chambers and is covered with a transparent cover to observe the organisms for 10 minutes. Results had shown the class

A two-part study was recently done to show what natural habitat a Pill bug, Armadillidium vulgare, naturally prefers: wet or dry environments along with a light or dark environment. It was hypothesized that a Pill bug would prefer and wet and dark environment based on its natural habitat of soil. For the wet and dry experiment, a coffee filter and soil were placed in each chamber of a double petri dish with one being dampened before being placed in. For the light and dry experiment a light was hung above one chamber of another double-chambered petri dish while the other chamber was covered with aluminum foil, after placing soil in both chambers. An equal number of Pill bugs was placed in each chamber and a study was taken for

Our hypothesis was that sowbugs prefer grass to sand as a ground covering because grass is more suitable to them due to its moisture level and that it contains decaying matter. The sowbugs preferred sand 10% more than grass (Figure 1). Table 1 shows the difference in preference for the ground covering, with more sowbugs preferring sand to grass.

We conducted a controlled experiment to determine which variable, Music or no music, would have the greater averaging effect on the pillbugs.

Acidity increases by ten times for one pH level increase. Soil pH is a major constraint on plant growth. Since plants are the base of the ecosystem, pillbugs may be affected by the pH change as well. Soil acidity can be assisted by addition of certain other plants, like AM fungi, or the addition of basic materials (Kawahara, et. al., 2016). We decided to investigate which pH level pillbugs naturally preferred. We created three different choice chambers that had pH levels of 5, 7, and 9. This experiment will test if pH has an effect on pillbug choice of habitat.We predicted that there will be more pillbugs in the choice chamber with a pH of 7 because a pH level of 5.5 to 7 is considered to be the normal, natural environment of pillbugs. Usually, the pH that pillbugs are found in are 5.5 to 7 (Kawahara, et. al., 2016). In each habitat, the number of pillbugs will be counted every minute for 15 minutes. If a pillbug is in between chambers during the counting, they may be counted for the chamber to which they are

Many people think that Ladybugs are bugs but they are actually beetles. Ladybugs commonly yellow, red, or orange with black spots on their body. There are about 4,300 kinds of ladybugs in the world. The ladybug is found all over the world and there is said to be more than 450 species in North America. The name “Ladybug” comes from Britain`where they became known as “Our Lady’s bird” or also “The Lady beetle”. The average lifespan for the ladybug in the wild is two to three years. Their spots and colors are meant to make them unappealing to predators. Their colors tend to fade as they get older. A threatened ladybug might play dead or crete disgusting fluid that will protect themself. Their Aphids. Aphids are soft insects that suck the

As the ice and snow start to melt in Minnesota, you may have noticed more insects around the home. Exercising some insect control tips during the spring months will help you get through the season with minimal pest encounters. If you are already having a pest problem, get in touch with the exterminators at Buggs Pest Control in Chaplin, MN. They can prepare a custom pest control plan to clear your space of bed bugs, cockroaches, and other insects.